The question of a global ocean has many in the scientific community wondering whether Europa may be the most likely body in the solar system to support life.
Though the possibility of some other conductive material, such as a carbon-rich material like graphite, is not completely out of the question, scientists say that liquid water or possibly even slushy watery ice is the most logical answer.
Researchers hope to literally test out the waters on subsequent missions to icy Europa, including the Europa Orbiter which is already in the works for launch in 2006.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/sola...ion_000620.html
Full Version: Germ Scare on Jupiter Moon.
I heard that there might not actually be any water on Europa at all.
I think that they pretty much proved that quite a lot of it was acid, but maybe still some water.
I think that they pretty much proved that quite a lot of it was acid, but maybe still some water.
QUOTE(Mr Ed @ Oct 13 2005, 02:49 PM) [snapback]885674[/snapback]
I heard that there might not actually be any water on Europa at all.
I think that they pretty much proved that quite a lot of it was acid, but maybe still some water.
Were did you hear that?
New Scientist. It isn't fact though, this is the article.
New Scientist
QUOTE
Life could be tough on acid Europa
Far from being a haven of ice and water and an ideal spot for the search for alien life, Jupiter's moon Europa may be a corrosive hotbed of acid and peroxide. That is the conclusion of researchers who met last week to prepare for NASA's proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, an ambitious mission to study Jupiter's moons.
Almost all the information we have about Europa comes from the spacecraft Galileo, which completed its mission to study Jupiter and its moons close up before NASA dramatically crashed it into Jupiter in 2003.
Although the general perception of Europa is of a frozen crust of water ice harbouring a salty subterranean ocean kilometres below, researchers studying the most recent measurements say light reflected from the moon's icy surface bears the spectral fingerprints of hydrogen peroxide and strong acids, perhaps close to pH 0, if liquid.
But they are not sure whether this is just a thin surface dusting or whether the chemicals come from the ocean below. The hydrogen peroxide certainly seems to be confined to the surface, as it is formed when charged particles trapped in Jupiter's magnetosphere strike water molecules on Europa.
But parts of the surface are rich in water ice containing what looks like an acidic compound. Robert Carlson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, thinks this is sulphuric acid.
Far from being a haven of ice and water and an ideal spot for the search for alien life, Jupiter's moon Europa may be a corrosive hotbed of acid and peroxide. That is the conclusion of researchers who met last week to prepare for NASA's proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, an ambitious mission to study Jupiter's moons.
Almost all the information we have about Europa comes from the spacecraft Galileo, which completed its mission to study Jupiter and its moons close up before NASA dramatically crashed it into Jupiter in 2003.
Although the general perception of Europa is of a frozen crust of water ice harbouring a salty subterranean ocean kilometres below, researchers studying the most recent measurements say light reflected from the moon's icy surface bears the spectral fingerprints of hydrogen peroxide and strong acids, perhaps close to pH 0, if liquid.
But they are not sure whether this is just a thin surface dusting or whether the chemicals come from the ocean below. The hydrogen peroxide certainly seems to be confined to the surface, as it is formed when charged particles trapped in Jupiter's magnetosphere strike water molecules on Europa.
But parts of the surface are rich in water ice containing what looks like an acidic compound. Robert Carlson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, thinks this is sulphuric acid.
New Scientist
Thanks for the link Mr.Ed.
It look as we are going to have to wait for the missions to Europa,The Europa Orbiter in 2006.
It look as we are going to have to wait for the missions to Europa,The Europa Orbiter in 2006.
Acid or peroxide doesn't necessarily prohibit life. consider the extremophiles on Earth, existing in acidic environments, supethot and supercold environments. It's entirely possible there are organisms living in Euorpa's seas, regardless of what they're composed of.
QUOTE(BigDaddy_GFS @ Nov 6 2005, 04:32 AM) [snapback]918326[/snapback]
It's entirely possible there are organisms living in Euorpa's seas, regardless of what they're composed of.
Organisms smorganisms,I need an alien 10 lb fish.
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